Birthday Blues
by 9xbleu
Summary: Davy has only known Peter, Micky and Mike for a few months, how in the world did they know it was his birthday? ****Now Complete****
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

So I have been reading fanfiction in other fandoms for about 17 years (ah, crazy!), but I have never written anything! I was a Monkees fan as a kid in the 90's, but didn't discover their online presence until earlier this year. I have read just about everything I could find, then I realized, I'm going to have to bite the bullet and try to write something. I'll do anything to help build up the fandom! I am super new, and trying my best, so constructive feedback is appreciated!

I want to thank StarCollector88, because I told her about this idea back in April when we first started talking, and she has been hearing about me talk about writing it since then. She has the patience of a saint!

This story takes place in 1963-4, and the ages are the same as real life. This is the introduction to the universe I'm trying to create for my other story ideas, so I'm sorry there is a lot of background. Much of Davy's past is inspired by his memoir, "They made a Monkee Out of Me", but some of it was embellished by me. I'm kind of mixing the show-verse with real life, and adding some details from my own research on the time period. If you have questions about what's real and what's not, just ask! I will include some sources in my note at the end. 

* * *

Davy cringed as his sleep was disturbed by the sun light streaming through his bedroom window. He squinted and peaked to his left, confirming his suspicions when he saw the empty bed. The bed belonged to Peter, one of the three chaps he had been sharing a flat with for the last few months. It wasn't unusual for the quiet musician to be up before him, but Davy would be giving him a piece of his mind later about lifting the window shade when he got ready so early in the morning. The Englishman was not ready to wake up yet, so he huffed and buried his face into his favorite pillow. He would never tell his new roommates that he had carried the thing everywhere with him until he was five years old, or that he still slept with it. Even though he gave Peter a hard time for sleeping with his favorite teddy bear, he knew his own sleep was better with his security pillow*. It was made for him by his mother, and he would not be giving it up anytime soon! Thinking of his mother caused a wave of sadness to wash over him. Even though it had been 4 years since she passed away, the pain was still fresh. Especially today, his 18th birthday.

Davy sighed and rolled onto his back, blinking rapidly to keep the tears that had suddenly formed in his big brown eyes from falling. He stared up at the ceiling, the idea of going back to sleep out of the question now. His mind had turned to memories of the past, memories that were unfortunately beginning to fade with each passing year. He knew his Mum had been sick for most of his child hood, though she had tried to hide the severity of her illness. He knew now that much of the money his father earned went to her medical and surgical bills. Despite this, his family had lived happily together in their tiny two-bedroom house, though he was grateful that he didn't have to share a bedroom with his three sisters any longer! Living in England after the second world war meant that time were tough, especially for a family of 6 bogged down with debt. National rationing was going on for most of his childhood, with short supplies of sugar, butter, cheese, margarine, cooking fat, bacon, meat and tea, and it made for a very bland and limited diet. Except for on his birthday. Somehow, every year on December 30th, his mother managed to put together the most divine breakfast for him, even as her health was deteriorating. And since his usual breakfast consisted of flavorless porridge, his mother's birthday creations were a highlight he looked forward to every year. He still didn't know how she did it, but even without access to a large grocery store, or a way to freeze things, she still managed to get ingredients that were not even in season. His mouth started watering just thinking about her last creation. Eggs with cheese, bacon and even tomatoes (how did she manage to find tomatoes in December?). He felt like he could almost smell it! He even got his own personal pot of tea for the occasion, with unlimited access to the sugar bowl. Thinking of tea killed the last of his resolve to spend the day lazing in his room feeling sorry for himself. Davy pulled off his covers and rolled out of bed. Tea always makes things better!

The door to the downstairs bedroom creaked open, and Davy emerged, yawning as he stretched his arms and tried to wake up his sluggish body. Suddenly, he stopped and froze with his arms still poised in midair. He blinked a few times, then started rubbing his eyes with his fists, in case his sleep heavy lids were causing him to see things. He looked around again, but nothing in the kitchen had changed, his eyes were not playing tricks on him. But how…

Stretched across the kitchen and covering his favorite circus poster was a giant banner that read HAPpY BIRTHDAY. It was obviously handmade if the paint splatters, smears and tiny squeezed in "p" were anything to go by. In fact, he had a few guesses at who the main artist was. Looking around the rest of the room, he noticed there were streamers and balloons everywhere, he hadn't even realized they owned such festive decorations! He could just imagine the fun Micky must have had getting to some of the hard to reach places. Finally, his eyes were drawn to the kitchen table, and what he saw made him take a step back and gasp. He hadn't been imagining the breakfast smells. A chair at the table looked ready to float away with all of the balloons tied to it, and the place setting in front of it was arranged with a feast fit for a king. Hot cakes with fresh fruit, bacon, breakfast potatoes, fresh-squeezed orange juice … he couldn't believe it. It wasn't perfect- his roommates weren't exactly known for their prowess in the kitchen. Looking closer, he noticed the hotcakes were all different shapes and sizes, the bacon looked a lot crispier than he was used to, and the counters were covered in flour and orange peels. The hard work and care that went into the surprise was obvious. He was getting choked up, the guys had gone to so much trouble! But how had they known?

Davy had met Micky, Peter and Mike over the summer, and had moved into the pad in August. He still could not believe his luck, as he had been days from moving back to England. He couldn't help but reminisce about what brought him to that point, as the journey had started 4 years ago today. His mother had died on his 14th birthday, which brought a tragic reminder to what should have been a happy day. The months following her death had been an extremely difficult time for him and his family. He had stayed home for his dad and to finish the school year, but it was hard for him to remain there. He couldn't deal with the familiarity of everything going on like it always had, but covered in the shroud created by his lovely mother's absence. He couldn't concentrate at school and failed his placement exams in the spring. He would be going to the "slow" school the next year, so it seemed pointless to waste any more time on educational pursuits. When the summer came, he convinced his father to allow him to move almost 200 miles away to Newmarket, so that he could pursue a career as a jockey. He spent a year as an apprentice, waking up before dawn, riding and training in the rain and snow. He missed his family something awful, but at least he had his Grandfather in nearby Cambridge. Davy didn't think he would have survived without the weekends he spent with him. It was thanks to his Grandfather that he had gotten his first break as an entertainer. He had always enjoyed singing, acting and the like, but he never thought of making a career of it. But apprentices were not allowed to earn money, so he was looking for a way to support himself instead of depending on his Grandfather or asking his father for help. So when his Grandfather told him about the first offer of an audition for a play, where he would be payed to do two things he loved, he jumped at the chance. He and his grandfather made the two-hour trek to London, and he won a role in a production of Peter Pan. He had been trying for the lead, but for a first audition, the part of Michael wasn't so bad! The play was a moderate success, so when the offer to be a member of a traveling troupe in America came, he was pleasantly surprised. He hated to move so far from his family, especially while everyone was still mourning his mother, but if he could earn enough money to send some back to his father, wouldn't that be something? His father's health had been declining, but buried under mountains of medical debt, he couldn't afford to stop working. So with a heavy but hopeful heart, Davy said goodbye to his family and moved across the pond.

Since Davy was only 16, he was not allowed to enter the states with a work visa unless a parent or guardian was with him. His father wasn't well enough to travel, and his Grandfather was now caring for his youngest sister Linda, so one of the show's producer had to sign as his guardian. He really enjoyed the life of a travelling entertainer; though he missed his family, he felt like it was good for him to leave England. He stayed with one of the Lost Boys and his mother, who was travelling with them, which helped keep expenses low. He was able to send the majority of his earnings back to his father.

The year he spent with the production was one of the best of his life- he felt like he found his calling, to entertain a live audience. Sadly, all good things must come to an end eventually. Davy (finally!) had his much anticipated growth spurt, and while he could pull off young Michael when he was still 4'5", it was harder now at 17 and a whopping 4'11". And so, when the show finished it's run at the Malibu Playhouse in June, it moved on and Davy stayed. He was an independent young man now, and he was confident that he could make his way on the West Coast after being on his own for so long. Besides, he loved the sunny weather and the beach, and maybe he would be discovered by some big shot Hollywood agent! Unfortunately, there was a kink in his big plans. Davy's work visa had expired, and he was still under 18, so he couldn't legally renew it himself. Applying for a normal job was impossible, and he was still too young to be allowed inside any bars or clubs where he could earn tips by singing. By July, his money was running out, and he had resorted to singing and holding out his hat on the street. He was able to occasionally perform away from the heat of the sun at a local coffee shop when the friendly, if a bit spacey, barista was working. But he'd already been yelled at by the owner for panhandling, so he carefully timed his visits. It was when the barista caught him pocketing the leftover muffin from a recently vacated table that everything finally came to a head. The blond asked him if he was hungry, and when his empty stomach growled in reply, he was promptly invited over for dinner. That night he was introduced to the disaster that was cream of root beer soup, as well as the barista's friends, Mike and Micky. He learned they were all musicians and were in a band called The Three Monkees. Davy liked the name, and he had to admit, and they had a pretty clever logo with the Hear no Evil, See no Evil and Speak no Evil monkeys. Especially after Peter explained that the monkey pulling a wool hat over his eyes was Mike, the monkey with his mouth wide open as huge musical notes came out and his paws over his ears was Micky, and the Monkee playing guitar with no mic and tape over his mouth was Peter. Davy did not believe that someone with such a pleasant speaking voice could be a bad singer, though; especially someone as sweet as Peter.

The next day, when Davy showed up at the coffee shop to sing, Peter excitedly tried to wave at his new friend and spilled coffee all over the customer he was serving. Unfortunately, the owner was returning from an errand early and saw the whole thing. Peter was immediately fired, and both of them were kicked out the front door. Davy felt terrible, he had lost Peter his job! He knew the group was struggling to make rent, even with their side jobs. But Peter reassured him that he could make it up to them. He had told Mike and Micky what a natural showman Davy was, and they agreed to have him audition for the group. If he was a good fit, it could solve all their problems! Davy's nerves were starting to get the best of him as they walked to the pad. He didn't play any instruments, but Peter tried to calm him down by insisting that he could play the tambourine and maracas until the blond could teach him something else. When they arrived at the beach house, Davy sang like his life depended on it, and Mike, Micky and Peter loved his version of Moon River. After a quick Monkee huddle, and a few bizarre costume changes (Davy wondered how they had the money for judges' wigs and robes?) it was agreed that the Three Monkees would become The Monkees, and that Davy would be their newest band member and roommate. Peter even agreed to sign Davy's visa renewal, since he had turned 21 in February, the legal age of majority.

Davy knew for a fact he hadn't mentioned his birthday at that point, just that he was only 17. He couldn't think of any other occasion when it had come up since. Which brought him back to his question, how did they know? Maybe one of his family members had called when he was out and mentioned it? He supposed it didn't matter. What was important was that the guys had taken him in when he was desperate, changed their band name and logo to include him, even technically became his guardian! They had done so much for him in the few months he had known them, and now this?

Davy wasn't too proud to admit that a few happy tears slid free as he started looking around. Where were his friends, anyway? Was he spoiling the surprise? There weren't a lot of places to hide with their sparse furniture, but he would think they would have jumped out by now so they could celebrate and eat together. After checking the bathroom and the closet with no luck, he decided to sit down at the table and see how this played out. Since moving to America, Corn Flakes had become his cheap and easy breakfast staple. He didn't think he had seen such a spread since the last time him mother had cooked a birthday breakfast for him! He couldn't wait to tell his friends how much this meant to him. His mouth was watering as he sat and stared at all of the delicious looking food on the plate in front of him. He thought about trying of sip of the orange juice, but quickly dismissed that idea as he remembered The Goldfish Incident that occurred the last time Peter was in charge of making juice. Maybe he'd double check that Mike had been supervising before trying that. He looked back at the food. The unusual bacon smelled especially good. Maybe the others wouldn't notice if he tried just a nibble. Decision made, he grabbed a small piece. As he started to take a bite of the crispy breakfast meat, the upstairs bedroom door swung open.

"DAVY!"

* * *

Author's Notes

*Davy and his security pillow: articles/1967/03/16/my-life-story-in-pictures-by-davy-jones  
A few comments about Davy's history:  
-His mother actually died on his sister Beryl's 20th birthday, which I found really sad. For the purpose of this story, I switched it to Davy's birthday  
-The fact about failing his exams is true, and apparently he had to do a follow-up live exam as well. He was afraid he and the other 'dumb' kids were being gathered on a bus to be kidnapped (I would recommend listening to his autobiography on Audible, listening to him tell his stories is great!)  
-The first play Davy was in was Peter Pan, but I decided he could only have moderate success for this story to work, so I'm skipping Oliver! and Pickwick Papers  
-His grandfather here is based on his grandfather in the show  
-I'm curious how Davy did immigrate to the US. I believe he became a permanent resident, which is how he was drafted, but from my research, children under 18 were on an exclusion list without their parents during this time. I'm sure there were loopholes, but that fact works with my story. We're going with more lax times, and no internet, so they let any yahoo sign as a guardian ?  
-Davy states he was 4'5" at 14-15, and I'm just assuming he wasn't quite full grown at 17, so I randomly made him 4'11"  
I keep mentioning the bacon because when I've gone overseas and excitedly order bacon, I'm always super disappointed because American bacon is very different. I thought it would be fun to blow Davy's mind with it.


	2. Chapter 2

This was unbelievable, Micky thought to himself. Play a few (hundred) harmless pranks on a guy, and apparently you lose all credibility when you come at him with a blindfold, asking for cooperation. He might have to leave the convincing to Peter, Micky was getting nowhere with a stubborn, sleep-tousled Mike. He urged the blond forward with a series of eye brow raises, head tilts, and finally a small shoulder nudge. Peter fell awkwardly into the side of the bed, but turned and managed to land sitting next to the tall Texan. Mike lounged with his long legs crossed in front of him, and his arms folded across his chest, not the most welcoming body language, Peter noticed. He would have to tread carefully here if he wanted their plan to work.

"Come on, Michael, you'll only have to wear the blindfold for a few minutes. You don't have to worry, we won't let you fall or run into anything. Well not on purpose, anyway" Peter amended.

Micky slapped his hand to his forehead and moved forward as he saw Mike withdraw even further. Peter and he had been working hard on this surprise for weeks, and everything had come together without any major disasters. Yeah, he couldn't believe it either. Now they just had to get Mike on board for the last part of the plan. Micky was getting to the end of his patience. He and Peter had been up late every night since Christmas, making signs, blowing up balloons, grocery shopping. It was hard to keep secrets in such close quarters, so the only time to work was after everyone else had gone to bed. He had been up especially late last night, making sure the decorations were just right, and then Peter had woken him up at the crack of dawn to start cooking breakfast. Now he was running on 2 hours of sleep and a half a pot of coffee. He was ready for Mike to see and eat the fruit of their labor.

"Just be quiet and trust us!" Micky burst out as Mike was opening his mouth again, probably to argue.

Mike paused with his mouth still open and looked at the earnest faces in front of him. He let his tense shoulders drop in defeat, then turned to stand from the bed. "Fine, I'll play your game," Mike said with a sigh. "But if you're trying to play a trick on me again, I swear you'll have to sleep with one eye open for a month, Micky".

"Fine, fine!" Micky said excitedly as he went to hustle Mike and Peter along. If they didn't hurry up, all of their hard work would be a cold, inedible mess anyway.

"Hold on," Mike stopped Micky from tying the blind fold around his head. "I'm not wearing that thing, who knows if it's got itching powder, ink, bugs or some other God-awful way to ruin my day hidden in it. I'll cover my eyes, but we'll have to compromise on how."

One minute later, Mike emerged from the upstairs bedroom, flanked on either side with Micky and Peter holding his arms and guiding him, his green wool hat pulled down over his eyes. He had it stretched enough so that he could still see vague outlines of shapes and colors through the knit yarn. Mike wasn't trying to ruin any surprises, but he could barely get his long legs and big feet to navigate the metal hurricane stairs on a good day, let alone missing one of his most important senses and "guided" by his two clumsiest roommates. He didn't need to end the year with a visit from the doctor for another silly injury.

Micky and Peter were practically vibrating with excitement as they bounced to the railing at the top of the stairs. Micky turned and quickly let his eyes scan over the dining area and kitchen to make sure everything was still in place before the big reveal. Groovy banner…check, awesome streamer and balloon placement…check, perfect table setting…check, brunette elf in silk polka dot pajamas munching on a piece of baco… wait, what?!

Micky tried to process what he was seeing but couldn't come up with any explanation for it. There, in the middle of their birthday surprise sat Davy, helping himself. He watched as a little piece of his extra crispy bacon made its way between the little twerp's lips and couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"DAVY!"

Davy jumped a foot in the air as his name was shouted from the balcony. Oh, well done, he thought. The fellas still managed to surprise him, even though he had been extra vigilant since sitting down at the table. He looked up and the smile died on his lips as he met three sets eyes, varying between confused, angry and wool-covered respectively. He wasn't sure he was understanding the emotions that were being projected at him.

After Micky's outburst, Mike swept the hat off his head, expecting the worst. He blinked in pleasant surprise as he took in the decorations and banner. Well what do you know, they hadn't been trying to prank him. As Mike and Peter stood taking the situation in, Micky's words were finally catching up to his emotions, and started spilling out of his mouth.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you seriously that self-centered?! Don't tell me you somehow missed the sign, balloons and streamers as you made your way through the kitchen to the breakfast that wasn't yours."

Davy froze. Were they playing a prank on him? What was he supposed to think when he woke up on his birthday, and then saw a birthday surprise in the common room. His mind raced to find some sort of explanation for their behavior.

Meanwhile, Micky continued his tirade as he stomped down the stairs. A flood of thoughts flowing through his head, fueling his frustration. Of all the selfish, inconsiderate things! What was Davy thinking? How could he just help himself like that? He was stopped short in his advances by a hand around his arm. Peter was by his side pulling him back before he could reach Davy.

Davy stood up from the table quickly. He had lived with the guys for 4 months now, and they had yet to fall into even a verbal altercation. He didn't know how to take Micky's frenetic energy aimed at him except as aggressive. He'd learned early on how to pick up queues to determine when he needed to physically defend himself, and when he could diffuse a situation with charm or humor. He'd even learned to read that the odds were stacked too high against him, and the best course of action was to run to find his sisters (and they never let him forget it, the protective harpies). Being half the size of most of his peers, as well as having a wardrobe that usually consisted of his sisters' hand-me-downs made him an easy target. Though he eventually won enough scraps to gain some respect. He hoped it wouldn't come to that with his new friends as he watched Micky carefully and prepared for his advance.

Peter knew he was not as smart as his roommates most of the time, but if there was one thing he knew, it was people. And right now, he could see that Micky was erupting in a caffeine-fueled outburst, and Davy was getting into a defensive position. He knew he needed to diffuse the situation quickly before Davy's short temper was activated as well. He grabbed Micky's arm and directed his next words to Davy.

"I'm so sorry, David, maybe we should have told you about the plan! It's just that we knew that you don't have much money saved up yet, especially with rent due in a few days. We didn't want you to feel obligated to get Mike a present or chip in for party supplies, so we decided to keep everything to ourselves. Now we've created a bit of a misunderstanding."

Davy relaxed his stance, and realization dawned on his face. It was Mike's birthday, too! How could he have been so stupid! Maybe he was a bit self-centered, but he'd just thought…

He cut his train of thought off there. Just because the guys didn't realize it was his birthday, didn't discount the friendships they had formed in the last few months. They showed they cared about him every day, he didn't need grand gestures. The way Peter patiently took the time to teach him more than he ever though he'd know about music. And in the jokes Micky always saved to tell Davy first, or how he wouldn't quit until he had made Davy smile after a long day. Or how Mike always looked out for him like a real older brother, staying close when Davy was scared or in a dangerous situation. Davy clung to those thoughts as the emotional roller coaster he had been on this morning threatened to overwhelm him. He took a deep breathe, pushed everything back down to process later, and plastered what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face.

"I'm sorry fellas, I should have realized. I thought the decorations were for a New Year's celebration or something. When I smelled the bacon, I couldn't resist, I've neva seen anything like it! I feel terrible I ruined your surprise, Mike".

Micky was squirming a little at this point. He had noticed the hurt that flashed across Davy's face before it was covered by what Micky recognized as his stage smile. He was regretting his outburst. He decided to help smooth the situation over and spoke up.

"Hey, Dave, don't worry about it. Listen, we didn't have enough ingredients to make hot cakes, juice and bacon for everybody, but there's plenty of potato casserole! Let's eat before it gets cold!"

The four boys all sat down to eat together, the sounds of their chewing punctuated by Mike raving about the cooking (they didn't need to know about the egg shells in the hot cakes, everyone needed more calcium in their diet, right?). And Davy admitting that the British could learn a thing or two about cooking bacon after Mike slipped him a whole slice of his own. The three eldest noticed that Davy was unusually withdrawn but put it down to embarrassment.

Davy decided to look on the bright side and be thankful that on his birthday he had a place to live, friends to share a meal with, and a chance to live his dream by playing in a band. When he had been surviving off table scraps and tips over the summer, he was worried he'd be homeless for the holidays. He was thankful for his friends and everything they had done for him. He didn't want them to feel bad about the faux pas that had been created by him sharing a birthday with Mike. He decided they never needed to know.

To be continued...

Notes: Here is an article from one of Davy's sisters that inspired parts of the back story for this chapter.  
articles/1967/08/monkee-spectacular/davy-by-his-sister (It says Linda is his second oldest sister, but they were only two years apart, so I think that's a typo. It's stated in another article that Hazel is the oldest, and that he and Beryl were 6 years apart, so I think the order is Hazel, Beryl, Linda, Davy. I know it doesn't matter, but I'm OCD)  
I just imagine tiny little Davy with his over protective sisters running around after him. Poor guy talks about wearing his sisters' hand me downs in his memoir. Apparently, girls shirts and coats buttoned a different way, so everyone knew.


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: Happy Birthday to Mike and Davy! My dad's birthday was yesterday, and my brother's is today. Growing up, I thought it was so cool they all had such close birthdays. I think my brother and dad's birthdays were what gave me the idea for this story. I wondered if Mike and Davy ever ran into the confusion and sometimes awkward moments that they did. I planned to finish this for Mike and Davy's birthdays, but as I was writing, I realized the conclusion was going to be a fourth chapter. But at least I got an update out! I promise the final part will be posted soon. Thank you for following!

Chapter 3

Davy sat at the breakfast table brainstorming while everyone finished eating. He really wished he had something to give to Mike for his birthday! He felt terrible being empty handed, even though he hadn't known. He took a silent inventory of his possessions… he hadn't had much when he moved in, just some sentimental nick knacks, his prized pillow, and a few sets of clothes. The only things he had acquired since then were some of Micky's cast offs that Mrs. Dolenz had been kind enough to tailor for him. Oh, and his new maracas and tambourine. He didn't think Mike would be interested in any of those items. Davy was pretty handy at making things from wood, and that was his usual method to provide presents for his parents and sisters for most of his life, but he didn't have the time or resources to make anything worthwhile. Maybe next year.

He glanced around, trying to come up with an idea. He noticed Micky had his eyes half closed, elbow on the table supporting his chin as he fought to stay awake. Peter was humming as he tapped a tune with his fingers against the table, lost in his own little world. And Mike seemed to be anxiously checking his watch. Davy lit up with inspiration.

"I've got it!"

Three figures were abruptly jerked from their thoughts at his outburst, and Davy couldn't help but smirk at his unintentional pay back for the scare he had received earlier.

"Why don't you fellas go enjoy the day. My present to Mike will be taking care of the clean up for his lovely surprise."

Everyone wholeheartedly agreed with that plan, and Davy felt like he'd made the right choice when Mike gave him a hug and thanked him for his offer.

With full bellies and smiles on their faces, the boys each went their separate ways. Micky proclaimed with a yawn and a stretch that he was heading upstairs for a nap. Peter went to his room and came out with the sheaf of blank sheet music that he had painstakingly made with a ruler and a pencil. He got comfortable in the hammock by the band stand with his guitar and started the process of nailing down the tune that had been chasing itself around in his head for the last few days. Mike started to check his watch again but was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

Mike tore the receiver from its cradle and answered with an excited, "Hello? Ma?"

Davy could tell his guess was correct when Mike started talking a mile a minute. He was still getting used to the Texas draw, so he only understood about every fourth word, and even then, he had trouble translating some of the phrases Mike used.

"Yanks," he said to himself.

He did laugh a little as he thought about how different accents and colloquialisms could be in England, even from town to town, but he would never admit that to his American friends. The Manchurian started gathering the dirty plates from the table and putting them in the sink. As he looked around at the mess Micky and Peter had created, he sighed. This was going to be a bigger job than he realized! Well, there was nothing for it, he decided as he rolled up his sleeves. He was committed now, so he might as well get to work!

As the morning wore on, Davy could feel his mood plummeting. Tackling the mess in the kitchen had been a big job, but at least he was almost finished. The problem, though, was that cleaning the kitchen had anchored him close to where Mike was talking on the phone with his mother. Listening to their banter was like a barb to his heart today, and it was wearing him down.

"Thanks for the call, Ma, and don't worry, the guys took real good care of me. They even made me a big breakfast like you used to! Did you tell 'em?" Mike paused as his mother responded.

"Well that was the best surprise I could ask for, I thought those hot cakes tasted familiar! Thanks, Ma, what would I do without you? Even fifteen hundred miles away, you still manage to make my birthday special."

Davy didn't catch the rest of what Mike was saying. He couldn't take anymore. Deciding that the kitchen was adequately cleaned, he turned on his heel and escaped out the back door. Maybe going to his favorite spot on the beach would clear his head. Or at least give him some privacy until he could get a hold of his emotions.

Peter stopped playing as Davy rushed passed him without a second glance, and Mike's goodbye to his mother was punctuated by the sound of the door shutting just a little too hard. Just as Mike was about to ask Peter if he knew what was going on with their youngest band member, the phone rang again.

"Hello, this is Mike, what can I do for you?" Mike was greeted with familiar accent, but in a female voice.

"Peter, can you see Davy nearby?" Mike asked as he covered the receiver with his hand. Peter jumped up from his perch and ran to the bay window. He leaned back around the corner and shook his head at Mike. Davy was small, but he could move quickly when he wanted to. He had disappeared.

Mike grabbed a pen and paper and began writing furiously. "Ok, I'll let him know you called, 'bye now".

Peter ambled into the kitchen, curious as to who was on the line. Mike hung up the phone and turned to him. "Davy's family has been trying to get ahold of him. I feel bad I tied up the line for so long. His sister didn't want to wait while we fetched him, the long-distance charge is going to be high enough."

Peter nodded as he looked down at the hastily scribbled note and phone number. He hadn't even realized Davy had a sister. He didn't know much about the boy's background at all. It was very odd that he was here by himself at such a young age, and asking a practical stranger to be his guardian! What was his family thinking? Peter had moved to New York when he was 18, but his family was still only a couple of hours away. He was a bit further away now in Malibu, but he was 21! Davy had been in the United States for a few years now as far as Peter knew, and he was only 17! Peter hadn't really thought about where his family was. Davy didn't volunteer any info, and Peter hadn't thought to ask. He just saw a friend in need and helped the best he could. He made a mental note to bring it up with Davy later. As his legal guardian, he felt an obligation. Peter couldn't help but chuckle a little at that. Him. Peter Tork. Responsible for another human life. At least Davy was pretty self-sufficient!

When Davy returned from the beach an hour later, it was to an empty pad and a ringing phone. He jogged into the kitchen to answer it.

He was pleasantly surprised to realize that his father and sisters had gathered to call and wish him a happy birthday. His little nephew and nieces were even on hand to sing "He's a Jolly good Fellow". Davy enjoyed catching up with everyone and reminiscing. He really did miss his family, he loved every one of them dearly, and it was hard to be separated from them for the holidays and his birthday.

His father got on the phone by himself as the call came to an end, and Davy picked up on the sadness in his voice. This time of year was hard on all of them. His sisters had mentioned in their letters that his father's health continued to decline. It was like he had lost the will to live without their mother by his side. Davy tried to alleviate the worries his father had about him alone in America without a steady income now that he had separated from the play that had brought him there. Davy told him all about the guys and the band, and ok, maybe he had played up their success a little bit. He promised that he would start sending money again soon, despite his father's insistence that he did not need to. In his mind, he made a decision to find another job to make that possible.

Peter startled from his nap, and looked around blearily, trying to figure out what had woken him. He started to leave his bedroom, but hesitated when he heard a familiar British accent. The blonde peaked his head out and realized that Davy was one the phone. Peter was happy that Davy must have finally gotten in touch with his family, but was also hoping that it was an incoming call and not outgoing, for the sake of their phone bill. Speaking of bills, he heard Davy promising to send his father money. Curiouser and curiouser. It sounded like Davy was becoming emotional as he said his goodbyes, so Peter shut the door to give him some privacy. He sat on his bed and wondered why Davy wasn't living with his family, and why he seemed to be supporting them. The more he learned about his young friend, the more questions he had. He was interrupted from his thoughts as Davy entered the room. Davy froze as he saw Peter sitting there, he had thought all of his roommates had gone out. Peter could see that Davy's eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his face was red. He thought he might have seen tear tracks, but was not completely sure as Davy quickly turned and brushed his face with his sleeve.

"Davy, is everything alright?" Peter asked as he stood up and started walking around his bed.

"What? Oh yea, everything is fine, Peter, I'm fine." Davy's words were contradicted as he seemed to be keen to keep his face hidden from Peter and had to keep dabbing at his eyes surreptitiously. Suddenly Davy felt warm arms wrap around him, and he was drawn into Peter's chest. At first he struggled, embarrassed to be seen in his emotional state. But Peter just hugged him tighter, and it turned out, the comforting contact was the last straw for Davy. He turned and clutched Peter's shirt as his whole body started shaking with sobs. He couldn't remember the last time he cried, and it felt like this had been building up in him. Peter just quietly hugged him, occasionally rubbing his back and making soothing noises. He was worried. What happened, had Davy gotten bad news? He decided to wait and let Davy tell him in his time. He didn't want to interrupt the release that Davy seemed to need so badly. Finally, Davy's sobs were reduced to the occasional sniffle, and he pulled back from the embrace. The first thing he saw was Peter's wet and snot covered shirt.

"Oh mate, I'm sorry about that! Here, let me…" Davy turned to his bedside table and took out a handkerchief before furiously trying to wipe up the mess he had made. Peter gently took his wrist to stop him.

"Hey, Davy, it's ok. Hey, look at me."

Peter noticed that Davy would not meet his eyes, and didn't want his vulnerability to be something that caused a discomfort between them. He waited patiently until Davy finally peaked up at him through his thick, wet eyelashes.

"Don't worry Peter, I'm OK, really. Just miss my family is all. It's hard to be away from England this time of year, you know how it is". That was the partial truth, and all he was willing to share right now.

Luckily, Peter accepted his explanation, and pulled him back in for another quick hug.

"I get it, Davy. It was tough when I realized I couldn't afford to go home for Christmas this year. It was kind of Micky's family to share their celebration with us, but I agree, it just wasn't the same. I'm glad you got to talk to your family today." Peter stopped as soon as he said it. Oops! He had been caught listening, Mike had told him he needed to quit doing that. But it didn't seem like Davy cared or noticed as he responded.

"It was nice to hear their voices. My baby nephew is talking now, he even sang for me, even though I don't think he knew who exactly I was! I used to carry him around on my shoulders. 'Course, his feet still practically touched the ground," Davy winked at Peter and chuckled, lightening the situation with his humor. He began to cheer up as he told Peter about his family. His sisters and their children, and the adventures that were described in their frequent letters. Peter was enraptured watching Davy light up as he animatedly told his stories. He hoped he would get to meet them someday! Maybe if they finally became a success. He vowed to work as hard as he could to make sure their music was the best it could be. He wanted Davy to be able to travel to see his family whenever he wanted.

Their conversation wound down when Peter realized how late it had gotten.

"Oh, we better get ready! We have to play a gig for Pop tonight!" Restaurants, birthday parties and bar mitzvahs were the majority of their bookings lately. Peter shook his head as he started getting ready. He knew The Monkees were talented, he just wished everyone else would realize it. Until that day, it would be small time gigs to pay the bills. Oh well, even the best musicians had to pay their dues!

He smiled at Davy as they finished putting on their band uniforms, happy to see that his roommate seemed to be feeling better. Davy left to wash his face in the bathroom, and Peter went to help Mike and Micky as they packed up the instruments by the band stand. Davy joined them a few minutes later with a smile on his face, joking with Micky as always. But Mike had seen the signs of distress before when Davy had made his way to the bathroom. He shot Peter a questioning look, but Peter just shook his head. They had a gig to prepare for, and Davy seemed OK for now. He planned to keep an extra vigilant eye on his little friend just in case, and he would talk to Mike later if needed. The four piled into the Monkee Mobile, practicing their harmonies for Last Train to Clarksville as Mike drove them to Pop's. They played their usual songs while they were largely ignored by families eating pasta and talking. No one in the audience that evening noticed that Davy was a little distracted, or that Peter and Mike kept sneaking worried glances at him. But from behind the drums, Micky quietly observed his friends.

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Notes: I can't believe I finished my first story! This is kind of a big deal for me, I've thought about doing this for years, and had even started a few stories in other genres, but never got very far. Another big shout out to StarCollector88 for all of her encouragement. I'm a little sad this story is over, but I have already started my next one. Hopefully Chapter 1 will be posted soon!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Micky had been observing his friends all night. Something was off, but he wasn't sure what. It seemed to center around Davy, who hadn't been his usual cheery self today. Micky felt a twinge of guilt spike through him. He felt a little bad about his over reaction this morning. He had apologized, and Davy waved it off, but he had said some pretty hurtful things in the heat of the moment. He hoped he wasn't the cause of Davy's morose mood. And now Mike and Peter seemed distracted, too. Though maybe they were just worried about Davy. Well, Micky knew one thing, he would make sure his friends were smiling by the end of the night or his name wasn't George Michael Braddock. Or Dolenz. He meant Micky Dolenz. Well, he has a few names, so he has a few chances to get this right.

He rubbed his hands together as a plan formed in his mind. He didn't realize how long he had been standing there in the middle of the parking lot, looking like a plotting super villain, until Mike hooked his arm through one of Micky's and started dragging him along.

"Come on, Mick, it won't take too long to load the equipment if we all help". Micky went along with him and waited for the opportunity to put his plan into action.

*********************  
Surfrider Beach Bar had just opened down the street from Pop's, and Micky thought it was the perfect solution. It was a restaurant as well as a bar, so Davy could get in, and Mike could get a birthday drink! As soon as all of the equipment was loaded, Micky grabbed Peter and Mike's arms, and used their bodies to coral Davy towards the sidewalk.  
"Woah, woah, Micky, what are you doin'?" Mike asked, as he started to back pedal.

"It's way too serious around here for a birthday. We need to buy you a birthday beer, Mike, it's not everyday a man turns 21!"

Peter looked desperately at Micky trying to grab his attention. He didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time they had tried to go in a bar for a gig they had lined up. Mike and Micky were allowed in as they were over 18, they just couldn't drink alcohol. But Davy was stopped at the door. Even with his guardian with him, he was refused entry. Davy lost his temper, furious that his age was causing trouble for his new band, but unfortunately, that resulted in all of them being kicked out. It was an incident Peter was not eager to repeat, especially with Davy's mood already in the dumps.

"It's fine guys, I have it covered, don't worry!" Micky assured them. He gave up pulling on Mike and Peter, and just grabbed Davy, the easiest to manhandle into his plan. The twosome took off down the sidewalk, and Peter and Mike had no choice but to follow.

They both started laughing along when they heard Davy's giggles at Micky's antics. It was impossible not to! By the time they made it the three blocks to Surfrider's, they were all pink faced and smiling. Thankfully, there was no cover tonight, so they happily waited in line with their IDs, and received their respective entry stamps.

A pretty waitress with long brown hair led them to a table, then left them to look at the menu. Micky took all of the change out of his pocket and dumped it on the table with a clatter. He didn't want to break into their earnings for the night, he knew they needed that for rent. But he had a little extra, and he wanted Mike to celebrate. Peter and Davy quickly dumped their pocket change, too, and Micky counted. Between the three of them, they had 84₵. Perfect! Beers were 72₵, so they would even have enough left to tip, like the classy gentlemen they were.

The waitress had been observing and approached the table when they seemed ready. Micky glanced at her name tag.

"Ashely, this man is 21 today," he slapped Mike on the back as he spoke. He needs a beer to celebrate! And I'm feeling generous, so add a round of waters on me!"  
Ashley chuckled and shook her head, then after confirming Mike's age by glancing at his stamped hand, she headed to the bar to place their order.

The boys laughed and admired Mike's stamp that indicated his status as a legal drinker while they waited. Peter glanced at the back of Davy's hand, and then did a double take. He used to occasionally work the door for a bar/restaurant he played at in the Village, he was familiar with the system. Most places had three stamps, one for those under 18, who had to be accompanied by an adult and out before curfew. One for those between 18-21, who could stay later, but couldn't drink, and one for those over 21. Peter noticed that Davy's stamp was the same as Micky's. His thoughts were interrupted as the waitress returned, and a beer was placed in front of him.

"No one should drink alone on his birthday" She winked at Peter and Mike. "Lucky for you guys, we have a special tonight, buy one get one free. And here's some bread for the table" Ashley set down their food and drinks and left them to celebrate. They seemed like nice kids, but she saw them counting their change. Passing a free drink on a 21st birthday wasn't that unusual, so she thought she'd help them out.

The guys couldn't believe their luck! They toasted their respective waters or beers and snacked on their bread. There was a dart board and ring toss game nearby, so they had fun challenging each other. They laughed as they created silly bets using pieces of bread. Davy was the best at darts, but Mike had them all beat on the ring toss.  
"Looks like I'm the bread winner again!" Mike grinned, as he caught the ring on the hook for the 6th time.

Davy dissolved into giggles, and Peter checked to make sure he hadn't been sneaking any beer. Like the responsible guardian that he was.

" _Wait, that's it!"_ a thought occurred to Peter suddenly. He had all of Davy's information on the guardianship paperwork he kept in his drawer at home. He would check it later tonight. It didn't make sense that Davy had the same stamp as Micky, he knew for a fact that Micky had turned 18 last March, right before he moved in with Mike and Peter.

"You're thinking too hard, shotgun" Mike rested his arm around Peter's shoulder, while he sipped his beer. "This has been the best birthday I've had in a long time, thanks to you guys. Let's enjoy it!"

Peter let Mike pull him back into the moment, a smile on his face now that he had a plan to solve this mystery. The four enjoyed their games, and when the beers were gone, they walked back to the Monkee Mobile, laughing as they took up the whole sidewalk with their signature stroll. Davy didn't even mind when Mike and Micky kept picking him up between them, so they wouldn't have to bend down so much. Micky smiled when he saw his friends' happiness as they got in the car.

"Just call me Micky Dolenz" he smirked to himself before closing his door.

Back at the pad, the boys said their goodnights, then went off to get ready for bed. Peter retired to the downstairs bedroom while Davy went to the bathroom to complete his night time grooming routine. Peter rushed to his drawer and pulled out the documents, he didn't know how much time he had before Davy came back. He flipped through the papers, then finally found the form that Davy had filled out with his personal information. He skimmed through Davy's neat cursive until he found it.

"Oh no…" he groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead in dismay. He needed to tell the others. He jumped from his bed and ran out the door to the stairs.

"Mike, Micky!" Peter burst into the upstairs bedroom, waving the papers over his head and whispering urgently. "We really messed up, you guys. Mike Micky, come here, _hurry._ "

"Woah, Pete, slow down, what's got a bee in your bonnet?" Mike grabbed Peter by the shoulders to calm his rapid movements.

"This, this!" Peter exclaimed as he waved the papers in Mike's face, stabbing at this with his index finger. "We missed it, that explains the confusion this morning! Oh, poor Davy!" Peter looked like he was about to burst into tears as he continued to wail.

"What about Davy? What are you talking about?" Mike held the hand that was waving the papers still, so he could see what Peter was pointing at.

Realization dawned on his face as read the neat handwriting. "Well if that don't beat all," he murmured. "Me and Tiny are birthday twins! That's good luck." He hesitated as a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Although, I guess it wasn't good luck for him today, was it."

"What's good luck? What are you guys talking about, who's twins?" Micky hovered around them, trying to get a look at the papers like a hyper bumblebee trying to get to a flower.  
Mike pushed the papers against Micky's chest as he started to pace.

"Those papers say Davy was born on December 30, 1945. He turned 18 today."

Micky stopped shuffling the papers and froze as Mike's words sunk in.

"No! So this morning... he thought we planned the surprise for him! Oh, I feel terrible!" He grabbed Peter, and both began to work each other up and become more hysterical.

"Now wait just a minute, Davy knows we wouldn't hurt him on purpose, it was just an honest mistake. A miscommunication. Can't celebrate a birthday if you don't know when it is!" Mike tried to calm the other two. If the waterworks started, there would be no going back. "But that doesn't mean we can't make it up to him!" The other's perked up. They should've known they could count on Mike to come up with a plan. Mike told them his basic ideas, and that's all it took.

Suddenly, Micky was decked out in a camouflaged jumpsuit, writing the plan for Operation: Birthday Blunder on a large note pad. Now that he had something to concentrate his energy on, he had laser focus. Mike and Peter dictated ideas from their seats on Micky's bed, sharing a can of grease paint, to complete their own military looks.

"Alright men. Does everyone know their roles in this mission?'

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Lieutenant Tork, do you have the paper?"

"Yes sir, Commander Dolenz."

"Sergeant Nesmith, do you know the most efficient routes to collect the materials?

"Yes sir, Commander."

"Alright then, we will meet back here at 0700. Dismissed."

Mike covertly cracked open the door, and three heads peaked out. The common area was clear, Davy must have gone to bed. They each tiptoed down the stairs and then split in three different directions. Mike headed to the front door and grabbed the keys to the Monkee mobile off the hook. Micky ran to the supply closet, and Peter pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket while walking towards the telephone. Before they started their assignments, they made eye contact one last time, and saluted each other. They had a lot to accomplish, but they were up for the task.

Davy cringed as his sleep was disturbed by the sun light streaming through his bedroom window. He pulled his comforter over his head, while simultaneously throwing his pillow in the direction of Peter's bed. Peter had not come to bed before Davy had fallen asleep last night, yet he was still up early enough to open the blinds and interrupt Davy's sleep at this ungodly hour. He grumbled to himself when he realized that he would not be able to fall back to sleep unless he got up to shut the blinds and retrieve his pillow. Once his feet touched the cold floor, he knew it would be a lost cause. He might as well get up and start the day! And the perfect way to start the day, would be to have a talk with his roommate about this new morning routine that was ruining Davy's beauty sleep.

The door to the downstairs bedroom creaked open, and Davy emerged, yawning as he stretched his arms and tried to wake up his sluggish body. Suddenly, he stopped and froze with his arms still poised in midair. No. Not again!

He had cleaned up all of the decorations in the kitchen yesterday, and yet...

There was another "Happy Birthday!" banner hung up along the wall. Though it was a bit neater this time, and the spacing was better. The streamers and balloons were back, and there at the table, was a small box wrapped with colorful paper, surrounded by plates of food.

"Bollucks!" He exclaimed as his mind tried to catch up with what he was seeing. He regretted that he didn't ask about this yesterday after his faux pas with Mike's birthday. He knew Peter's birthday was in February, so there was only one explanation. It must be Micky's birthday, and he missed it again! His mind was overwhelmed with the decision to retreat to his room to try to put together a present, or to move forward to escape to the beach so he didn't ruin any surprises again. The tug of war resulted in him standing in the same spot, frozen.

"DAVY!"

He jumped two feet in the air as he was blasted out of his trance. The déjà vu today was killing him!

"We didn't think you would be up yet!" Micky exclaimed, from where he had just entered the front door with Mike and Peter.

Davy stared at them, trying to understand why they all had smeared grease paint on their faces, crooked berets and camouflaged clothes. They looked like they had been up all night.

While he was trying to process, the other three approached him, then slowly lead him into the kitchen.  
"What do you think?" Peter questioned him once they got to the table.

Davy looked around at the eager faces surrounding him, wondering what Peter was asking, then took a closer look at the table.

Eggs with cheese. Tomatoes. Beans on toast. Scones. A tea pot next to the sugar bowl. He walked forward and turned the tag on the gift.

 _Davy_

"What…?"

"Surprise," came three slightly bashful voices, along with several shrugs.

"How did you…" Davy didn't finish his thought, so Mike took it upon himself to answer.

"Peter notice that your stamp matched Micky's last night at the bar, so he took a look at your papers. We realized that you don't need those guardianship papers anymore, because you turned 18 yesterday. Why didn't you tell us?"

"It just never came up," Davy mumbled, still in shock that today's surprise was intended for him. "And after the fiasco in the morning, I didn't want to make a big deal of it."

"Well it is a big deal!" Peter interjected. "Turning 18 is a milestone! And since you couldn't be with your family, I used the number they left for you yesterday to call and ask how they would've helped you celebrate." Peter paused and pulled Davy into a hug. "Your sister told me about how your mom used to make you breakfast. I know this isn't the same, but I wrote down the recipes the best I could, and we tried our best to make them."

As Peter released Davy, Mike wrapped his arm around brunette's shoulders and put the package from the table in his hands. Davy shook it a little, curious.  
"Well, don't stand there guessing all day. Open it!" Micky was bouncing up and down on his toes.

Davy tore off the paper and opened the box.

"What…?" Davy's usual eloquence was failing him this morning.

"Your father told us that it is a tradition for a man to receive a key to the house on his 18th birthday. We thought it was about time you had a key to the pad anyway. You're as much a part of this group as any of us, now it's officially official," Mike smiled as he explained.

Davy turned and grabbed Mike in a tight hug, then pulled Micky in as well. Peter joined the embrace, and the four stayed there are as Davy silently expressed his thanks. He wiped moisture his eyes as he stepped back and looked at his friends.

"Gifting the key is an important tradition for families in England," Davy sniffled, "And I can't think of a better family to start the tradition with here than the one in front of me".

His chosen family murmured their agreement, and watery grins were plastered on everyone's faces as they sat down to eat. Davy had never eaten a dryer scone in his life, and the eggs were a bit runny, but he loved every minute of his birthday breakfast.

Alone in his room later that day, Davy carefully circled February 13th, March 8th and December 30th on his calendar. Then he dipped his fingers into a jar of grease that was sitting on Peter's nightstand and drew a black line under each of his eyes. He placed a beret on his head and began writing furiously in his notebook. Operation: Best Birthdays Ever was officially a-go. Let the planning begin.

 _The End._

Notes: Here are a few pictures that inspired scenes in this chapter:  
/images/2AECwR  
picturedb/clothes/brown-beret?person=davy-jones Also, as the youngest in my friends group, I think I may have pulled a little inspiration from my life for this one. I remember trying to go to Dave and Buster's for my friend's 18th birthday. I was still 17, so they wouldn't let me in without someone over 21, even though a bunch of kids were in there with their parents. I ruined that party for everyone! lol That stuff happened all of the time, it was so frustrating! Anyway, thanks for following this story, and being patient as I figure out my Monkees voice. I think I have a good writing system now, so I'm excited to start on my next story, which will be a bit longer, and have a more intricate plot. Feedback is appreciated as I continue my writing endeavors!


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